Putting Down My Umbrella...

Sometimes I feel as though I like to stay in the shade of my umbrella, even when it's sunny out. I don't mean this literally, but in my life I have seen a tendency to hold on to the negative rather than taking joy in the good. I was reminded this morning that though I am the worst of sinners, that should not always be my primary focus. My primary focus should be that, though I am the chief of sinners, yet Christ died for me and declares me justified. Just as if I've never sinned. My attention should be on God’s new mercies every day to me not on my past failures. Always dwelling on my sinfulness is primarily ME focused. Instead I should be lifting my eyes to where my help comes from. My help comes from the Lord. (Psalm 121:1-2) I’m not saying that considering our sin is never appropriate, because it is. All I’m saying is in my own life, I’ve realized that I can focus more on that than on what Christ has accomplished. God is honored and glorified when we praise His name and all He’s done for us. Here’s an excerpt on the subject from Spurgeon…

The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.-Psalm 126:3

Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has vouchsafed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, I will speak, not about myself, but to the honour of my God. He hath brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad. Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient Saviour, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us out into a wealthy place. The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life's song, He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.-C.H. Spurgeon

Pondering all the Lord has done in our lives will produce a heart of gratefulness in all of us. “Every day” we receive new mercies, so wouldn’t it only make sense to praise those mercies “every day”? My prayer and hope for myself as well as everyone, is that we will be a people who love to declare the goodness and mercy of the Lord. Being joyful because of what God has done is a very small thing considering what we’ve been given and it’s also a wonderful testimony to a watching world.

Mercies Anew
Every morning that breaks
There are mercies anew
Every breath that I take
Is Your faithfulness proved
And at the end of each day
When my labors are through
I will sing of Your mercies anew

When I've fallen and strayed
There were mercies anew
For you sought me in love
And my heart you pursued
In the face of my sin
Lord, You never withdrew
So I sing of Your mercies anew

And when the storms swirl and rage
There are mercies anew
In affliction and pain
You will carry me through
And at the end of my days
When Your throne fills my view
I will sing of Your mercies anew

-Lana-